hello JLB, dirtfarmer here
We have had many discussions on end times. It is my belief that in Thessalonians is not descriptive of Christ's return to the earth. As we see in Thessalonians it is stated " in the clouds" , not a physical return to the earth at this time, but we do find in the old testament prophecy about his return to the earth physically and the mount splits when his(Christ) feet touch the earth there.
thanks, dirtfarmer
We find the
coming of the Lord is associated with the resurrection and rapture of the Church.
We find the
coming of the Lord also means the destruction of the antichrist and the wicked rulers and people of this world.
We find this in the letter to the Thessalonians where the rapture doctrine is derived from.
It’s not hard to see that the resurrection which comes before the rapture occurs on the last Day, but that is in another place in the Bible.
I wanted to prove from the very scriptures that folks get their rapture doctrine from that the resurrection and rapture as well as the destruction of the wicked all come from Thessalonians.
The reason Jesus destroys the antichrist and all the wicked is it’s the time to take His place as King over the whole Earth in Jerusalem.
Again once we establish a foundation of understanding from the book where the rapture comes from, then we can see from other books exactly what is being taught.
The resurrection and rapture are hard linked together and can not be seperated by 7 years or 7 months or 7 days or 7 minutes or 7 seconds even.
The resurrection and rapture are one event that occurs at His coming, whereby all His people are gathered together in the air with Him above the Earth safe from the destruction He will then pour out upon the earth, on the wicked.
This coming of the Lord to gather His people together and destroy the wicked is the Day of the Lord.
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the
coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly
that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then
sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that
this Day should overtake you as a thief.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-5:4
So whenever we see the Day of the Lord, the coming of the Lord, we know the resurrection and rapture are what is taking place just before the destruction of the wicked takes place.
Jesus taught this exact same thing to His disciples on the mount of Olives, teaching them from the Prophet Zechariah.
For now we all need to be on the proverbial same page to come to a common understanding concerning the resurrection and rapture.
The three things that take place at His coming, on the Day of the Lord.
Resurrection
Rapture
Destruction of the wicked (antichrist)
JLB